Combination-lifter.



J. B. ORTT.

COMBINATION LIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1905. 4

I PATBNTED JAN. 8, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. JAY B. ORTT, OF CHICAGQIILLINOIS.

' COMBINATION-LIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed May 10, 1905. Serial No. 259,680-

of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Combination Lifters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to combination-lifters, and more particularly to a lifter embracing a stove-hook or kitchen-tongs adapted to grip pans, pots, or other-articles which have become so heated as to-prevent their handling by manual engagement.

Heretofore it has been difficult to handle many articles used in the kitchen or other places where they become heated when such articles are in a heated state, and various devices have been resorted to for that purpose, many of which have proved unsatisfactory because of their not firmly gripping the article and allowing it to fall, causing serious injury. Furthermore, many of such devices have been of such a complicated nature as to prevent their being adapted for general use, owing to the cost of construction. The object of this invention is to provide a combination-lifter adapted to so firmly grip the article to which it is attached that it will reolude the possibility of accidents from releasing its grip and which is of such cheap and sim le construction as to place it within reach all.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more fully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, of a lifter embodying my invention and used as a pair of tongs. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lifter open and used as a stove-hook. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same, partly in section. Fi 4 is a side elevation of a modification em odying my invention. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the tongs in open position. I

As shown in said drawings, the lifter comprises a pair of arms A and A of any desired material, but, as shown, are constructed of wire having a considerable resiliency. Each of said arms are formed, as shown, of a single wire, which is bent upon itself centrally, providing side wires a a and a a, respectively, the ends of which are secured together by twisting or in any other preferred manner to receive the handle B, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The outer ends of said arms A and A are provided, respectively, with forwardlydirected integral gr1pping-jaws C and C, of which the jaw 0 comprises a transverse end member 0 of greater length than the width of the arm, and inwardly-directed side mem-- bers c c, which at their points of union with the side wires 0. of said arms are bent to provide integral lugs c 0 directed toward the jaw C and which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, come into close proximity with the same when the jaws are closed. The jaw C, as shown, comprises two approximately parallel fingers 0 0?, formed by bending the central portion of the wire back upon the side wires (1/ a. Said jaw is bent forwardly at a greater angle than the jaw C, so that when closed the outer portions of said jaws contact and the inner portions thereof are out of contact. Owing to the resiliency of the arms A and A, the jaws O and C are normally separated a sufficient distance to receive therein the pan E or other article which it is desired to handle. Any desired means may be provided to bring said jaws into gripping engagement' but, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, a loop-D of wire or other material is carried on said arms and adapted when forced outwardly along the same to spring the arms inwardly and throw the jaws into gripping engagement with the side of said pan or other article, as shown in Fig. 1, causing the lugs c to engage beneath the side rim e thereof.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the arm A of the lifter is provided above the jaw G on tne inner side thereof, with loops or eyes M, in which the loop D is engaged, which embraces the arm A J ournaled on the loop D is a bell-crank lever F, the short arm f of which when said lever is turned iowardly upon the arm A engages said arm and forces the jaw C into engagement with the jaw C The operation is as follows: Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, when the loop D is retracted toward the handle B the resiliency of the arms A and A causes the jaws C and C to remain 0 en, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. When, owever, it is desired to pick up a pan' or other receptacle E, the jaws are engaged over the side thereof with the lug c be- IIO neath the rim 6 of the receptacle and the loop D forced outwardly toward said jaws, springing the same into gripping engagement with the sides of said receptacle and preventing its removal therefrom until said loop is again retracted.

The lifter may conveniently be used as a stove-hook for the purpose of handling stovelids G. For this purpose the jaw C on the arm A is inserted beneath the pintle g of said lid with the side-wires a of said arm engagin against the outer margin of the lid, as is usuad in such devices.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the aws C and operate in the same manner as the jaws C and C and are forced into binding engagement by means of the bellcrank lever F, the short arm of which engages upon the outer side of the arm A when said lever is turned inwardly and forces the jaws into gripping engagement.

I claim as my invention 1. In a device of the class described the combination with a plurality of resilient arms normally remaining out of engagement with each other and twisted together at one end, a handle engaged in said twisted portion, one of said arms being bent to form a transverselyelongated jaw directed at an inclination to the arms and provided with upwardly-directed lug's at its base adapted to engage beneath a pan-rim, a forked jaw on the other arm and means for forcing said jaws into gripping relation.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with a pair of outwardly-diverging resilient arms, of a jaw on each directed downwardly at an angle therewith. and one of which projects laterally of its arm, upwardlydirected lugs on the rear of said last-named jaw and parallel fingers on the other jaw.

3. In a device of the class describedthe combination with a pair of resilient arms connected together at one end each comprising parallel rods, one of? said arms being bent at its free end to provide a transversely-elongated jaw extending laterally beyond the arm and bent downwardly and having upwardly-di1 ected lugs at the base of said jaw, the other arm being bent downwardly at the end to provide forwardly-inclined parallel fingers extending above the jaw and means for forcing said fingers into engagement with said jaw.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAY B. ORTT. 

